These high-paid coaches are so awful at the end games. Shooting free throws is not rolling the dice- but odds will be odds...

In the NBA, it took about 30 years to appreciate that 3 points is 50% more than 2. They have "held for one shot" at the close of every quarter save the 4th for decades- no matter what the score- but only recently have they begun (correctly) forcing up rushed shots to take advantage of the 2 for 1 with about 30 seconds left.

Only this year did they seem to realize that it might be correct to intentionally give up a 2 shot foul up 3 with 10 seconds left, even in the penalty. They have no clue when to hack the terrible free throw shooters- they still rely on "whether he's hittin' em" (on the night).

Given the shot clock and game clock, the choice of shooting a 3 or 2, whether and whom to foul- even whether to insert a bad offensive player for defense- the NBA would seem to be fertile ground for a backgammon pro...